Fitzgibbons wore white during her career as a nurse, but her personal sense of style dazzles with many colors of the rainbow. 

She became interested in fashion as a teenager in Dedham, Massachusetts, where she realized she could expand her clothing options by sewing her own clothes. She credits her high school home economics teacher for this interest. Fitzgibbons gained a sense of fashion from that time period by watching models on TV, who wore dirndl skirts with matching belts and blouses, or long-waisted jumpers with a belt on the hips. Fitzgibons particularly recalled a favorite pair of bright yellow T-strap pumps that she coordinated with an orange-and-yellow jumper and orange tights to match her sunny personality.

She said she loves to stay in fashion but wears different clothes than her daughters, who are in their 30s. She stays active by working out a couple times a week, particularly with her stationary bike. 

Also influencing Fitzgibbons’ style is the travel she has done with her husband, Robert, a surgeon in Omaha. Fitzgibbons said her favorite place has been Buenos Aires, Argentina, and she is fond of the suede items she has picked up there. 

This article originally appeared in the 60Plus section of the July/August 2021 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.  

Photo by Bill Sitzmann